


Brothers

by hamilsinning



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Bed-Wetting, Brotherly Relationship, Gen, He loves it really, Nightmares, Set post s1 but pre s2, athos caaaaaaares, somewhat reluctant big brother athos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-27 05:02:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7604545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hamilsinning/pseuds/hamilsinning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A nightmare leads to a rather embarrassing situation for d'Artagnan, especially when he meets Athos in the corridor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brothers

_“Papa ... Papa!” He shook his father’s body, willing him to wake up. The rain was warm, soaking his father’s lifeless corpse, and—_

D’Artagnan woke with a ragged gasp. He lay still in the bed for a moment, trying to grasp at where he was. He turned in the bed, wincing as something wet chafed the inside of his legs.

Wet. He felt wet. Why was he wet?

And then his eyes widened as the truth dawned on him. “Shit,” he hissed, darting from the bed as quickly as his legs would take him.

Oh  _fuck_. This wasn’t something that he could just hide. He’d have to get his bedsheets changed. The garrison probably had laundry somewhere, right? Maybe they had a maid or something. Quickly d’Artagnan pulled the sheet from the bed and bundled it up in his arms. He swiftly changed his braies and hid his wet ones inside the bundle of bedsheet. It was still dark; nobody would be awake. Nobody would see him taking care of the sheets, it would be fine.

He tiptoed down the dark corridors, partly afraid of being caught. He wasn’t sure what he’d say if someone was also awake, and they asked him what he was doing with sheets so late at night. D’Artagnan was so focused on being quiet that he didn’t notice someone else coming down the corridor, until he bumped roughly into them, dropping his sheet and braies on the floor.

“Fuck,” he hissed, rushing to pick them up.

“D’Artagnan?” said the person. It was Athos. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, I’m sorry for disturbing you—”

“Why are you awake?” Athos asked bluntly. “In fact, let us go to my quarters, rather than bumbling around in the corridor like fools.”

“That won’t be necessary,” said d’Artagnan quickly. He bounced on his feet. He wanted to dispose of the offending, wet materials as soon as he could.

“Then let me carry what you have in your arms,” said Athos.

“No!” D’Artagnan blurted out. He couldn’t let Athos know. “I’m fine, really.”

“Then I shall accompany you wherever you are going,” said the older Musketeer. “Can’t two friends walk and talk together?”

“Yes, yes, of course ... but perhaps some other time?”

“Why, my friend, we have all the time in the world.” Athos raised his eyebrow, clearly showing a confusion at d’Artagnan’s unwillingness to take a walk with him.

D’Artagnan, realising he didn’t have much of a choice, decided to go for the unpleasant but much more effective route. “I said some other time,” he scowled, pushing past Athos and beginning to storm down the corridor.

“D’Artagnan, I am no fool,” said Athos firmly, stopping the younger Musketeer in his tracks. “Do not take me for one. I will let this drop for now, but in the morning I expect to see you outside Treville’s office at eight o’clock sharp.”

D’Artagnan, a little relieved that Athos hadn’t pursued the matter, went to the laundry room to dispose of his wet things. He was too relieved to notice that Athos had been watching him in the darkness.

* * *

The next morning, d’Artagnan was outside Treville’s office at eight o’clock, as requested. He took a quiet step inside, and was surprised to see that Treville was nowhere to be found. Instead, Athos was stood at his desk.

“D’Artagnan, sit,” he said firmly.  _He’d make a good captain one day,_ d’Artagnan thought. Once the young recruit was seated, Athos too sat down. “I’d like you to tell me what happened last night.”

“I was quite rude to you,” he admitted sheepishly.

“Indeed you were,” Athos agreed. “You are lucky I am not punishing you for it.”

“Then why am I here?”

“I wish to speak with you,” said Athos simply. “Why were you out wandering the corridors last night?”

“I ... had some laundry to do,” said d’Artagnan quickly.

“Ah yes, laundry at two o’clock.” Athos fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Tell me the truth.”

“I can’t,” said d’Artagnan pitifully. “I am shamed ...”

Athos’s voice took on a tone of concern. “D’Artagnan? You can speak to me about it. I am your brother, maybe not in name or blood, but I am your brother nonetheless.”

“You will think less of me, I am afraid ...”

Athos sighed. “Tell me what you did, d’Artagnan. You cannot accept it if you do not say it.”

“I, uh, wetthebed,” mumbled d’Artagnan, not daring to meet the older Musketeer’s eyes.

“There,” said Athos gently, and much to d’Artagnan’s surprise he was neither ridiculing nor firing him, “that wasn’t so hard.”

“W—what? You ... you don’t hate me?”

“D’Artagnan, you are not the first Musketeer in this garrison to wet the bed, nor will you be the last. You are human, just like everyone else on Earth. I cannot hate nor blame you for something that is beyond your control. So next time, come clean to me rather than making a desperate attempt to get rid of me.”

“Oh,” was all d’Artagnan could say. “Wait ... you knew?”

“Of course I knew,” and Athos rolled his eyes. “You literally threw that sheet at me. And besides, late night wandering plus something big and bulky in your arms usually equals bedwetting.”

“Not all the time,” insisted d’Artagnan. “Just this once.”

“D’Artagnan, I wouldn’t be angry if it  _was_ all the time. Frustrated, yes, because it would affect you. But as I said, I won’t hate you for something that is beyond your control. This conversation is done until we need to have another. You’re dismissed.”

D’Artagnan returned to his quarters, surprised but grateful to see his braies and the sheet had been cleaned and dried, and smelled like fresh grass. “Thanks, Athos,” he whispered, smiling.

 

 


End file.
